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F. P. CONRAD. VEHICLE SPRING.

No. 414,496. I Patented Nov. 5, 1889,

(No Modem v Q a l z 4 7 X J! x W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK P. CONRAD, OF BUFFALO, NE\V YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO 7 LUOIUS H. PRATT, OF SAME PLACE.

VEHICLE-SPRING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,496, dated November 5, 1889. Application filed July 24.1289. Serial No. 318,541. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: the torsional portion and at about right an- Be it known that I, FRANK P. CONRAD, of gles thereto. It extends some distance out- Butfalo, in the county of Erie and State of Ward, and at its extreme outer end is bentup- New York, have invented certain new and Ward slightly for attachment, through the m- 55 useful Improvements in Vehicle-Springs and strumentality of a clip or other device, to the I do hereby declare the following to be a full, side bar. In a four-Wheeled vehiclethere are clear, and exact description of the invention, usually four of these springs employed-one such as will enable others skilled in the art at each corner of the bodyand these may be to which it appertains to make and use the variously attached, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 60 Smne- 3, and 4, and first, as shown in Fig. 2, by ar- My invention relates to an improvement in ranging the torsional portions 1 of two of the vehicle-springs, and more particularly to such springs parallel with each other and close as are designated torsion-springs, the obenough so that the outer ends lie in proximject being to provide an elastic, substantial, ity to each other. When thus arranged, two 65 and sensitive spring for the support of vehimight be located in each corner to withstand ole-bodies; and to this end the spring consists a heavy-weighted body or load, or, as before, in a bar of metal bent in such shape that it two only might be arranged on each s de. combines contractile, expansional, and tor- In Fig. 3 the location of the two springs 1s sional action; and, further, it consists in a slightly varied by simply attachingthem far 7o bar of metal securely fastened at one end, ther apart, or so that their ends a. are close to from which point it extends in a straight line each other, thus throwing the spiral portions for considerable distance to form the torsional at the corners or near the corners, according portion, and at the end of this straight porto the length of the torsional portions. In tion through a loop, and thenceis bentinto a Fig. 4: the only variation consists in the eX- 75 spiral or part spiral and supported at its outer tension of the torsional portions in the oppo end on some part of the running-gear. site direction from that described, or, in other It still further consists in certain novel words, outward and opposite each other. features of construction and combinations of Thus from the description disclosed it will parts, as will be hereinafter described, and be seen that the gist of the invention 0011815138 8 o pointed out in the claim. I in the combinations of the torsional and ex- In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is pansional and contractile spring, or, in other a side elevation of a vehicle, showing one words, in the elongated torsional portion r1gform of the springs applied. Fig. 2 is a botidly secured at one end and loosely supported tom plan view of a vehicle-body, showing the at the other, and the spiral or semi-spiral for- 8 form of spring particularly applicable to use .ination at one end of the torsional portion with a side-bar wagon. Figs. 3 and 4 show a The advantages are too evident to require different manner of attaching the springs. enumeration, and I need only say, in conclu- A represents the spring. It is preferably sion, that the result derived is the production made of a square or round bar of steel. The of a spring combining all the ease and com- 0 4o torsional portion 1 is straight and extends fort to be obtained from a torsional and for considerable length along the bottom of yielding spring. the body. One end a of this portion is rig- It is-evident that slight changes might be idly secured to the bottom. of the body by resorted to in the form and arrangement of means of a shackle, belt, clip, or other tie the several parts describedwithout departing 5 vice, and at the opposite end this portion exfrom the spirit and scope of my invention, tends loosely through an eyeletor loop 2. Beand hence I do not Wish to limit myself to the yond this point of support the spring is bent precise construction herein set forth; but, back at about right angles to the torsional Having fully described my invention, whatI portion, and thence carried around and downclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters 5o ward into a lower plane to form the part Patent, is- V spiral 3, and finally it is bent outward across A vehicle-spring consisting, essentially, of

a straight torsional portion adapted to be nig- In testimony whereof I have signed this idly secured at one end and loosely mounted specification in the presence of two subscribin a bearing near its opposite end, a curved ing Witnesses.

or semi-spiral portion forming a continuation 5 of the loose end of the torsional portion, and FRANK I. CONRAD.

an end section crossing the torsional portion at points between the end bearings of the lat- Witnesses: ter, the said semi-spiral section of the spring CHAS. BRAND, being located Wholly to one side of the tor- JNO. O. STROBEL.

1o sional section, substantially as set forth. 

